Learning From Autistic Teachers: How to Be a Neurodiversity-Inclusive School

by Rebecca Wood a (Editor), Laura Crane (Editor), Francesca Happé (Editor)

In this strikingly honest collection, developed from a pioneering new research project, autistic teachers and other autistic school professionals share their stories of the challenges and successes of their careers. Contributors challenge assumptions and stereotypes whilst highlighting the unique strengths autistic staff can bring to schools when their own needs are accommodated.

The book explores exclusion and identity, understanding and acceptance, intersectionality and facilitating inclusion. It also celebrates the positives that come with being an autistic teacher, such as relating to neurodivergent pupils and conveying passion and enthusiasm for a subject through intense interests, or demonstrating particular skills in school leadership. It examines how workplace set up can sometimes exclude autistic individuals and lead to skilled teachers and those in other education roles, including visiting professionals, leaving the profession, and sets out the accommodations that can prevent this from happening.

Genres: Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Nonfiction, Education

206 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 21, 2022

Reviews

[Lauren Ellzey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am an Autistic American who has worked in the education field for the last decade. I found this book, although it is UK-focused, to be extremely helpful and also very resonant. I hope that anyone who works in schools alongside Autistic educators, students, and families, or any Autistic educators themselves, takes the time to read this book and learn from it.

[Mairéad · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting collection of essays from autistic teachers and school leaders detailing their experiences in education and suggesting ways of making schools, and the broader educational system, more inclusive of neurodiverse pupils and staff!

[🐣 · Rating 4 out of 5]

i am thankful for this book in terms of the perspectives it offered, and i was able to see myself in many of the chapters. however, i feel like it started to get a bit repetitive at points.

it was comforting to know that the things i am struggling with as an autistic student teacher are largely a result of an environment that does not accommodate me, and not due to my own personal failings. i am glad to know that other autistics have managed to have fulfilling careers in education, and i am hopeful that we are about to start witnessing some much-needed change with regards to how autistic staff are treated in school settings - slowly but surely.

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tons of great insights, and an excellent reminder that school don’t only have autistic students, but autistic teachers and staff who also need a supportive and encouraging school environment. It’s a book specifically for teachers and learning support professionals, so some of the anecdotes and recommendations get quite technical. It’s also written by mainly by UK educators, so some of the specific terms and references to school structure won’t have an equal and opposite number in other countries.

[Ota D. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very interesting book which can be praised in every single way.

I do have an issue with the way some of those people handled the topic of empathy (you can express your hyper-empathy without fully excluding, or worse, demonising low-empathy autistic people! maybe try not being ableist) but aside from those bits being a very hard read for me, the book was enlightening and inspiring as a future autistic teacher myself.

[Rena Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

A real insight into the lives of many different autistic teachers. Some have navigated the profession with great success. Others not so much, but the reason they struggle is lack of understanding and support. We need to change the profession to be more inclusive. I've just had to leave a secondary school teaching job. 🥲